


Rhys' Hatching

by ToastyDehmer



Series: Riders [1]
Category: Borderlands (Video Games), Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dragon Riders, Blood Loss, Dragons, Loss of Limb(s), Mental Link
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-27
Updated: 2020-01-27
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:01:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22435318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ToastyDehmer/pseuds/ToastyDehmer
Summary: Participating in a Hatching at the age of 22 was considered very nearly too old.Some might say it was unfortunate that Rhys was there in the first place but once all the dust settled, none would dare utter such blasphemy.(Rhys participates in a Hatching expecting to bond with a Hatchling. A Green at the very least. Of course nothing goes the way he thought it would.)
Series: Riders [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1614454
Comments: 1
Kudos: 28





	Rhys' Hatching

**Author's Note:**

> This work (and this series) is only loosely based off of the book series PERN, The Inheritance Cycle, and The Guardians of Childhood. Of the three, only one I have actually read. The rest is from wikipedia and what I've read of of fanfiction.

Each company had their own traditions as to when it was acceptable to send their heirs to attempt bonding with a Dragon. Some sent their children as soon as they were the minimum age, ten. Some more wary of the ‘one Hatching per person’ rule waited until they believed the time was right, the time frame different from group to group. And some didn’t even send legitimate heirs, rather their companies passed on to the next most capable.

Maliwan threw their children to the wolves. Their heirs often came back with scars and missing parts, Hatchings always dangerous things. The more children the Head of the Family had, the better the chances for success. That was their thought process.

Hyperion CEO’s chose who in their company they would send, only getting one choice, one shot, one chance to name a successor. And if they failed? They would have to become a Keeper, an owner of a Drake, something barely considered even a partial Dragon.

Dahl went by seniority, their Generals and CEO being the ones to go first. One had to earn the right to even be considered.

Jakobs only ever sent either their oldest or their only child. The more conservative family treasured their heirs more than them being a Rider. A smart choice some would say. They had more Keepers than Riders in the line of CEOs.

And Atlas? Atlas sent their best heirs. Only their best.

To rise up to the opportunity, children of the Atlas name had to prove themselves capable in leading a company. Rhys more than thought his advances in the cybernetic field made up for that. Of course the Board wasn’t appeased by something they considered trivial. They wanted something that would both make money and an impression on their entire consumer base.

After having gained experience working with code in creating the latest in cybernetics, inventing the Atlas trademarked Tracking Bullets was child’s play.

At twenty-two years old, nearly twenty-three, Rhys had shook the gun manufacturing field to its roots. With his technology, anyone could be skilled in wielding a firearm, even a toddler. It was that accomplishment that brought him to Dramnyr for this year’s Hatching. Even more memorable, it was a _Gold_ Hatching. Out of this brood of eggs would come a new Queen. Of course every Rider was present along with hoards of other people, every single one of them crowded along the floors high above called the Lofts. The Dragons and their Riders held the Overhang in reserve. Only they were allowed so close to the Hatching Grounds.

Everyone was eager to see who the new Queen would choose.

Rhys looked up to the various eyes staring down into the pit of warmed sand, Dragon and Human alike peering over the fifty-some-odd group of potential Riders. Versus the measly seven eggs - including the Gold Egg. Well, measly in comparison. People crowded around the edges of where they were allowed, wanting to be the first ones to have a chance at bonding. Some stood farther back, scared of the danger a Hatching brought with it. Rhys stood in the middle with a tuna fish in hand, wanting to prove himself as a leader for Atlas yet being cautious.

He wanted to he a Rider but he also wasn't keen to die. And people had died in the past, attending a Hatching. Babies didn't know of or understand the strength and danger they possessed.

With how many young adults were present, Rhys almost felt pity for them. At least they had the likelihood of affording one of his cyber-prosthetics. If their family could afford the fee of attending a Hatching (much less participate in one) the possibility was high. If they didn't kick the bucket that was.

Despite everyone keeping their chatter and volume down, the first telltale crack was drowned out. The silence that surfaced was deafening and the laser-focus attention on to Hatching Grounds was beyond stifling. Everyone watched and listened with bated breath as the second crack rang, a green chip flying over heads and landing mere feet from Rhys. He stared at it, at the dust motes it rose, looked back, and more and more cracking came. Vigil broken, nearly everyone rushed the eggs that were hatching, shoving their fish forward. A few stumbled back with their fear and worry clear. Rhys was the only one that stayed still.

This time, it was a scream and a flying finger that changed everything again. For the worse.

Rhys pulled back a few steps as the babies sprang from the people around them, claws out, eager mouths open. A Green and a Brown rushed Rhys' way and he drove to the side, ears ringing. All around him was chaos, flecks of blood covering the severed finger in front of his face. He could feel all the blood drain from him as he scrambled back and up onto his feet, only just barely remembering to grab his tuna. Behind him more screaming came.

A baby had tackled their chosen Rider, clawtips digging into their sternum.

 _'That's gonna need a Rejuvenator.'_ The delirious thought was accompanied by a hysterical giggle.

Distracted as Rhys was, he didn't see the baby dragon. But he certainly felt it run over him and his right arm being torn from his shoulder.

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGHHHRRRNNGG!"

The fish was dropped.

Rhys rolled over until he was on his knees, forehead dug into the sand, his other hand slapped over the gushing wound. He grit his teeth and closed his eyes. The pain. The pain- it was all he could think about. Hot and rushing and sharp and oh god that's a lot of blood its coating his side and dripping over his chest and down the side of his neck and into his hair this was where he'd die he should've just stayed a Keeper kept his drake Gortys and left it at that-

Rhys was losing it. By the second he was losing precious blood. He was losing his life. And as he tipped over onto his left side, he looked out over the Hatching and saw only eggshells in the center of the Hatching Grounds. There were no Dragons left.

Rhys….failed.

Defeat tasted bitter, his tears like acid on his skin. Soon he'd be loaded into a stretcher and led off the Hatching Grounds. One hell of a walk of shame for a CEO.

Another crack echoed, bouncing off the cavernous walls and loudly reverberating. Through bleary eyes, Rhys looked up where the Gold Egg sat. There was a long broken sliver that started at the topped, jaggedly ran down the side, and bowled around the bottom, stopping at a point before disappearing beneath the sand. The few women who stood around it excitedly tittered among themselves and shuffled closer. The sweet call of unconscious bliss pulled at Rhys but he had to watch, had to see this once-in-a-lifetime event. He would never get another chance.

A small croon came from the egg. Near the top a large piece broke off, the muddy gold colored bit casted away. A golden orange eye peeked out from the dark depths of the egg. The near-glowing gem looked over everyone and Rhys swore when it landed on him, it widened and stayed rooted, focused on his battered and bruised body.

Something- foreign brushed against Rhys' mind. It wasn't unpleasant. Just….surprising. Weakness undermined his strength and his eyes slipped closed. He could hear his heart weakening. Just when the hell were the medics going to come? Were they going to let him _die_ here?

A deafening roar filled the room. Rhys struggled to open his eyes again as he heard more screaming.

The Gold was ramming against the shell of her egg, breaking pieces off left and right in a fervor. She ignored any and all fish handed her way and more than a few people ran away bleeding or missing a chunk of flesh. Finally, the baby Dragon broke free with a crash but she was stopped. She scrambled against the ground, glowing eyes still on Rhys.

_[NO!]_

Rhys flinched, instinctively curling up, eyes scrunched, the voice too loud. He was too tired to even question the fact that it came from inside his own head.

Sand pelted Rhys as the Gold came to a slide beside him.

_'I'm so….so tired.'_

He blinked, barely able to see a thing now. The pain was starting to go away, numbed. He was losing feeling. He was...warm.

What?

People weren't warm when bleeding out. They were cold. Cold and tired and sleepy and soon dead. Rhys was going to die, wasn't he?

_[I said NO.]_

Had he the strength, Rhys would've flinched again from the loud voice. He looked up. Glowing orange met him, furious and determined and proud. So proud. Reverence ran through Rhys even while confused.

"Who…"

 _[_ I _am Calypso.]_ There it was again. That voice. _[_ You _are my Rider.]_

Rhys was tired. He just...wanted to sleep. Just a nap. Just a short nap.

His eyes closed as he heard one last thing.

 _[And you are_ not _allowed to die, Rhys Idris Atlas the Third.]_

**Author's Note:**

> OwO
> 
> I had fun writing this and then rereading it about a month later before posting it right after.
> 
> Hope ya'll liked it!


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